Level Heads
by Funky In Fishnet
Summary: Ruby likes a challenge, so she sticks close to Galvin during a stakeout and a smiting. There's half-lives and banter and running as well as maybe a new sort of relationship developing. Ruby/Galvin.


_**Disclaimer**__: It's all owned by ITV, sadly. I want another series!_

_**Author Notes**__: My first Galvin/Ruby! Set after episode 5 sometime. My thanks to gnimaerd for reading it and encouraging me to post it. Cross-posted at the demons_itv and demonsfic lj comms. Enjoy!_

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**LEVEL HEADS**

It was going to be a long stakeout, Galvin had said, she'd get bored. And it could get dangerous if their mark did make a move. But Ruby had grabbed her bag and chattered along beside him. Her evenings were boring anyway and maybe she'd learn something, right? And he needed backup.

Galvin had almost smiled at that. Well, his lips did something new and interesting anyway.

Luke was taking his mum to one of Mina's concerts, which meant he got to reassure Jenny that he wasn't a junkie and kept her thinking that he was dating Mina. It was a good cover story, Galvin had said, a great excuse for all of Luke's absences.

"You're quite the catch. I'm sure Mina's very flattered," Galvin's tone had been laden with sarcasm.

"Overwhelmed," Mina had agreed.

But she'd been wearing a really amused smile that didn't lift when Ruby volunteered to go with Galvin.

He played Johnny Cash in the car, just like Luke warned her he would. Ruby hummed along not quite under her breath, fingers tapping against the dashboard and then her seat. She hated keeping still. She snuck a glance at Galvin and yeah, there was definitely some sort of smile going on there. Success.

Galvin was a challenge. She liked that. Two could play at that game.

She popped her bubblegum and dug a notebook and pen out of her stuffed bag.

"Right, so what we looking for?"

* * *

She had her feet up on the dashboard, so her head was tucked down near the gear stick. Close to his arm, almost resting on it. He was also getting a great view of her legs. She was wearing one of those short layered skirts that she was fond of, this time paired with black Doc Martens. Good to run in. She was learning.

Galvin raised his eyes back to the building they were watching. Checking her out was not the priority here, however enjoyable it was.

"Type 7. Got a thing for stealing shoes."

"That doesn't sound very dangerous."

"And the feet that's in them."

Ruby wrinkled up her nose. "Okay, so a half-life with a disgustingly literal foot fetish. Can I have a gun?"

She didn't scare easily, he'd give her that. She just got on with the job at hand. And she amused him.

"No," he didn't look at her. "You're staying in here."

"Yeah, because that turned out so well the last time," she retorted.

She was looking at him almost upside down now and giving him a pointed and smug you-know-I'm-right glare. There was a really stubborn set to her chin too. It went without saying that she'd follow him in anyway and probably smash a window to do it if he tried locking the car doors. Galvin sighed.

"You're a bona fide smartass, Ruby."

"It's my best feature."

Untrue, in his opinion. He was still sold on her legs.

"It scratches you with its claws? You'll regret it," he emphasised, back to the business at hand.

"Like in a 'waking up in a hospital' kind of way?"

"If you're lucky. Couple of shots with a pulse gun'll send it back to the great hereafter."

Ruby twisted herself more or less upright. It gave him a better look at her face.

"What do you think happens?" Ruby was quieter now, her fingertips tracing a doodle on her notepad. "After you die, I mean?"

That got his attention. A big question. Galvin measured her with his gaze. Dying was a serious business, especially in their line of work. It could mean any number of things. She looked back, young and suddenly fragile. It was a serious question for her too. He told her the truth he knew.

"All that matters is what we do here, in the fight."

"But what about your wife?"

Galvin drew back, just a little bit. Ruby was a blunt instrument, calling it like she saw it, and Maggie wasn't a secret any more. But it didn't mean that Galvin wanted to talk about her. Ruby kept looking at him, letting the silence hang. She and Maggie would have been a lethal combination.

"I hope she's safe," he conceded shortly. "And happy."

Ruby nodded, a small smile doing beautiful things with her mouth. Then there was the distinct sound of a door on rusted hinges being shoved open and their prey loped out of its nest. Feeding time. Galvin could hear Ruby holding her breath. When he exited the car with an eye on the half-life, he was sure he felt Ruby squeeze his fingers before she joined him outside like nothing had happened.

* * *

"It stinks in here," Ruby declared, a sleeve pressed against her nose.

"Mmm, rotting flesh. Right at the top of our Type 7's menu," Galvin strode on ahead, pulse gun held loosely at his side.

Ruby stuck close by, chancing a look over her shoulder. Galvin had already killed three of the things and apparently there was one more to root out. There wasn't just one Type 7; there was a whole brood of them. Ruby shivered, she could feel something watching her.

"Stay close," Galvin told her.

"No problem. There's something out there in the....."

Ruby's words became a shriek as she was suddenly grabbed and yanked backwards into the shadows with a force that took the breath out of her. She hit the floor hard, the stone scraping at her knees as she was dragged away. There was nothing for her grab onto. The smell was getting stronger. She was disappearing into the darkness.

"Ruby!"

She could hear Galvin running, hear him charging up the pulse gun. She kicked hard at whatever had hold of her.

"Get off me, you freak!"

She heard something crunch under her heel and kicked hard again. She was slowing down. Result. She smashed her bag against the hands gripping her legs. Galvin was getting closer.

"Head down, Ruby!"

She ducked as low as she could, squeezing her eyes shut, and then there was the familiar smell of burning. Galvin hadn't missed. She opened her eyes. That thing was still clinging to her legs, one hand tightly wrapped around her left foot.

"Very nice," Galvin sounded impressed as he reached her. "You got its horn."

"Yeah, well, it's good to know my aim's still good when I'm fighting for my life," she muttered, her voice shaky.

She kicked at the Type 7. It wouldn't let her go. Galvin squatted down beside her and carefully and efficiently pried the half-life hand off her, then the other one. Like he'd done it before. The thing looked all shrivelled up, its claws were more like knives. God, it was going to dig those into her.

"One Type 7 and every member of its family. Food for the Reapers now," Galvin mused, tapping the head with his gun. "Good work."

"Thanks," Ruby scrambled unsteadily to her feet, grabbing onto Galvin when she stumbled. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. It made her feel safer and warmer. "Why didn't this one explode?"

"It was about to feed," replied Galvin, sheathing his gun. "It absorbed the energy instead and got fried from the inside and out. Extra crispy."

Ruby pulled a face. She wasn't in the mood for take-away now and she'd really been craving Chinese food earlier. So pizza it would be. She stayed close to Galvin.

"D'you want to get a pizza?" she asked.

Galvin looked down at her, actually looking like he was considering the offer. Ha, and Luke said Galvin didn't have a social life. He did now.

"You'll be buying," she told him. "And shouldn't we get a bonus for this? I don't know, danger money? Hazard pay or something?"

"If you're in this for the money, think again."

"No, I'm in it for the glamour and all the great achievements I can put on my CV."

They were outside now and the air was crisp and clear. The smell was gone out here, Ruby took a deep triumphant breath. It was cold though, a great excuse to stick close to Galvin. She slid an arm around his waist, sending a sparky challenging smile up at him when he glanced at her. The corner of his mouth lifted, more of a smile than a smirk. Another victory.

He paused when they reached the car and pressed something into her hand. It looked like a ridged bone maybe.

"Your Type 7 horn," he told her, his free hand reaching to keep the wind from blowing her hair into her eyes. "The legends say it brings good luck. It's a load of horseshit, but it's a hell of a story as to why."

Ruby grinned, then bit her lip, cocking her head to the side. As far as presents went, it was definitely on the freaky side. But that didn't mean she didn't like it.

"So it's not going to turn into a half-life if I drop it in the bath or something?" she wanted to know. "Or bring a curse on me?"

Galvin made a sound like a laugh, his fingers drawing out of her hair to smooth down her cheek before brushing, whisper-soft and brief, against her lips. Hardly anything at all. But Ruby shivered, like it was something else. Tantalising.

"Not this side of Halloween," he told her with a raise of his eyebrows.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at him as he opened the car door for her without looking. There was every chance he was being serious, or just trying to make her paranoid for his own amusement. It was definitely something Galvin would do.

Galvin smirked and propelled her neatly into the car before she could even start protesting. Smooth. Ruby shoved her bag down at her feet and cranked up the heating. She wrapped her fingers around the horn.

"Hey, Galvin?" she caught his gaze as he started the car and reminded herself to breathe normally. "You going to tell me that story tonight, about the horn?"

"Sure, right before I tuck you in? A little bedtime story about the monsters in your closet?"

Okay, there was major sarcasm there, like he was babysitting. Ruby made a face at him.

"Not until you buy me dinner first, in a proper restaurant, and there's no smiting involved."

Galvin snorted, but he checked her out again. He liked her legs a lot. Weird since they were pretty scraped up after her trip across the stone floor.

"Bone fide smartass, Ruby." there was definite appreciation there. Result.

"Don't worry, you'll get to pick the restaurant."

"Hmm, food for thought."

And his hand might have held hers, squeezed it a bit, as he drove.

_-the end_


End file.
